Part 22 (1/2)
The answer rapped back, ”Very well, General! I'll speak to you later
Meridian Station! Report your plans”
Elizabeth Barnes, ”Blind Betsy,” child genius of the piano, had beena USO tour of the Moon She ”ed 'em” at Tycho Base, then lifted by jeep rocket for Farside Hardbase, to entertain our lonely missile men behind the Moon She should have been there in an hour Her pilot was a safety pilot; such shi+ps shuttled unpiloted between Tycho and Farside daily
After lift-off her shi+p departed fro, was lost by Tycho's radars It wasso for help and its radar beacon would be seen by other shi+ps, space stations, surface bases It had crashed - or- somewhere on the vastness of Luna
”Meridian space Station, Director speaking - ” Lag was unnoticeable; radio bounce between Washi+ngton and the station only 22,000 miles up was only a quarter second ”We've patched Earthside stations to blanket the Moon with our call Another broadcast blankets the far side from Station Newton at the three-body stable position shi+ps froe which is in radio shadow from us and from the Newton If we hear - ”
”Yes, yes! How about radar search?”
”Sir, a rocket on the surface looks to radar like a et theh-resolution radar ht spot them in months - but suits worn in those little rockets carry only six hours air We are praying they will hear and answer”
”When they answer, you'll slap a radio direction finder on them Eh?”
”No, sir”
”In God's name, why not?”
”Sir, a direction finder is useless for this job It would tell us only that the signal came fro that you ht hear Betsy - and not knohere she is?”
”We're as blind as she is We hope that she will be able to lead us to herif she hears us”
”How?”
”With a Laser An intense, very tight beaht?”
”Yes, sir We are jury-rigging to scan like radar - that won't show anything But we are ive a carrier wave in radio frequency, thenthat by a piano If she hears us, we'll tell her to listen while we scan the Moon and run the scale on the piano - ”
”All this while a little girl is dying?”
”Mister President - shut up!”
”Who was THAT?”
”I'm Betsy's father They've patched me from Omaha Please, Mr President, keep quiet and let thehter back”
The President answered tightly, ”Yes, Mr Barnes Go ahead, Director Order anything you need”
In Station Meridian the director wiped his face ”Getting anything?”
”No Boss, can't soht on the frequency!”
”We'll drop a brick on them Or a bomb Joe, tell the President”